#365 UK BMD Transcription images

These files were created to enable the addition of transcripts of Birth, Marriage, and Death certificates (from the UK) to PGV as images, that were as similar to the originals as possible without breaching the Crown Copyright laws that govern them.

The particular issue with these documents and copyright is the following paragraph at the web site of the Office of Public Information. (http://www.opsi.gov.uk/advice/crown-copyright/copyright-guidance/copying-of-birth-death-and-marriage-certificates-and-marriage-registers.htm)

In particular, para 8 of the document Guidance - Copying of Birth, Death, Marriage and Civil Partnership Certificates and Marriage Registers states

"Government policy is not to authorise the copying of completed certificates except in the following circumstances:
a) by government departments and local government for the purposes of public administration;
b) by individuals or organisations for their own record keeping purposes, provided that the copies are not passed to others as evidence of birth, death or marriage;
c) within the context of judicial proceedings;
d) within works of genealogical research undertaken by or on behalf of the family concerned where the work in question will be given limited distribution only. FOR THE AVOIDANCE OF DOUBT, A WORK WILL NOT BE REGARDED AS BEING GIVEN LIMITED DISTRIBUTION IF IT IS PLACED ON THE INTERNET [our highlighting]
e) subject to prior formal written permission being granted by HMSO’s Licensing Division, for use within biographies or autobiographies or within academic, educational or historical works not covered by paragraph 8 (d).
f) by the transcribing and copying of the information contained in a certificate. The copyright does not subsist in the information on the certificate, but in the presentation of the information."

The highlighted part of section d) is the most relevant to PGV users. The UK government does offer a licencing system ("Click-use Licence" for Public Sector Information) that at first sight appears to overcome this issue. However, after careful checking with the Office of Public Information, we have confirmed that this licence does NOT apply to BMDs. The Office referred us to paragraph 5 - Items Falling Outside the Scope of this Licence, of the Terms and Conditions of the PSI Click-Use Licence which includes:

"5.3 - Material which includes personal information about named individuals."

This therefore is our solution. Others may chose to use these files in the same way, adapt them in any way they choose, or take a completely different approach. Please note that we are NOT expert programmers, so if anyone has suggestions to improve these files please let us know. We will be very grateful.
Instructions on installation and use are included (help.htm).
Examples of them in use can be seen at our site, www.our-families.info (and yes, we still have some originals there that have yet to be removed / replaced!). The files can also be downloaded from that site.

[Anonymous]

UK BMD certificate transcription